Those strange Embassadors are the poor Infidels , or , as well the ignorant Christians , who , after a confus'd manner , have heard somthing of a God born in a Manger , Son of the Virgin , and Crucified for their Love ; but , who ( to be more fully inform'd of the Motives , Causes and Consequences , of this so adorable a Prodigy , ) go either into the Churches , or have their recourse to Catholick Books , to see whether they may give them further Intelligence . But if Preachers , who , as Chancellours , ought to speak in the Name of their Prince ; will buisy themselves to unfould the Treasures of a Science altogether Humane , Confundantur qui operantur linum , pectentes & extentes subtilia Isa. 19. v. 9. the Riches of a politick Phylosophy , and the subtile Inventions of their Spirit . If the Catholick Writers , who , as Secretaries of State , ought to write down the Wills of their Master , do fill up entire Volumes with Poetical Fictions , with the Amadis of Gaule , Revelatur ira Dei de Caelo super , &c. Rom. c. 1. v. 18. with Scandalous Invectives , shall they not fall into the same misfortune that the King of Jerusalem did ? and suffer the punishments which his Sentence did bear .

The Apostle Saint Paul speaks of a certain anger of God reveal'd by the Heavens , to chastise the Impiety of some Souls who do retain his Verities in Injustice . I know well , that in the natural sense of the Letter , Vera Dei cognitio quantum est de se inducit homines ad bonum . Sed ligatur quasi captivitate detenta per injustitiae affectum per quam ut in Psalmo dicitur , diminutae sunt veritates a filiis hominum . D. Tho. in hunc locum . he would speak of them , who , before the Incarnation , though they had known the necessary Being of a Divinity , highly establish'd in the Principles of Nature , dare not ( nevertheless , whether for fear , or otherwise , ) publish the belief of it : But I am deceiv'd , if he had not also a design to intimate unto Christians the Chastisements of Heaven , ordain'd against them , who , in an unjust silence , would detain captive the most adorable Mistery of the Incarnation . And in effect , what is it otherwise , to hold the Verity of God in Injustice , ( as St. Augustine remarks , ) but to shut up Jesus Christ and his Graces in a Prison , under the locks of a perverse will .

'T is this consideration has mov'd me to choose among other Subjects which I bethought of to furnish matter to my Pen , Spiritus Domini super me , propter quod unxit me , evangelirare pauperibus misit me , sanare contritos corde . Luke 4. v. 18. to treat of the Infirmities which are incident to our corrupt Nature , having my self contracted a share of them in the Subterranean Mansion , where the late Troubles have confin'd me for the space of two years . And as the sick Body can have no sweeter thoughts than them of a Cure for his Distemper , I resolv'd to treat of a Powerful Remedy for the Salvation of our Souls , whose Health is infinitely more to be desir'd than that of the Body ; ( adoring always the receipt of our Soveraign Doctor fix'd on the Cross ) I will discourse of this Remedy with a methodical instruction of a singular application to each sinner in particular . Contritis per penitentiam datur gratia sanans vulnera peccatorum . Lyran in c. 4. Luck .

I may well give this little work the Title of the Second Nativity of Jesus among men , being that it is the Accomplishment of his Adorable Incarnation . We shall give it a further Light in our following Discourses . For the present it will suffice , to say in short , that as it was necessary of a conditional necessity , that the Son of God should Incarnate himself in the womb of the Virgin to re-establish Humane Nature in general in the Rights of Heaven ; Even so it is necessary , of a like necessity , that the same Son , by the actual application of his Graces , do descend into the Heart of each one in particular , before they can pretend to the least Happiness of Paradice : 'T is that actual application of the Graces and infinite merits of Jesus to each sinner in particular , which may be well called the Second Nativity of Jesus .

Holy Virgin pardon me , if you please : I do not doubt but that at this sole word of Second Nativity your Heart , Saintly jealous of the Title of Divine Maternity , will straitly oblige me to put it out of all apprehension of any Ferreign Interest , being that to You alone , ( and with exclusion to all others , ) doth appertain to be the true Mother of Jesus , Multae mulieres beatificaverunt Sanctam Virginem illam , & ejus uterum , & optaverunt tales fieri matres . D. Chrysost. hom. 450. in Matth. refertur in cat . ad c. 12. Matth. and to Jesus to be your true Natural Son . Ah! Princess of Heaven , who would ever dare to contest with You the Honour of that Quality , which is the Source of all our Happiness , and the greatest of all your Titles ? If St. Chrysostome said heretofore , That many Women Sanctifying your Person , and Blessing the Sacred Fruit of your Womb , have desir'd to be the Mother of God as you are ; they were but simple wishes ; which had rather for their Object the admiration and ravishment of your Felicity ; than the belief of ever being able to attain to it .

Your Dearly Beloved Son , how ever , has thaught you heretofore , what we ought to understand by that way of speaking , when that with his own mouth he did establish another kind of Maternity compatible with yours . Quae est mater mea & qui sunt fratres mei & extendens manum in discipulos , dixit ecce mater mea , & fratres mei . Mat. c. ● 2. v 48. Do you remember , O Blessed Virgin , how you have heard him , when as he stood at the gates of the Temple , some one went to tell him that his Mother and Brothers were looking for him : He dissembling , ( but a dissembling replenish'd with Mysteries ; ) demands , as if it were abruptly , who is my Mother , and who are my Brethren ? And at the same time stretching his Hand towards his Disciples ; there is , said he , my Mother , there are my Brethren : For who ever fulfils the will of my Father who is in Heaven , he is my Brother , my Sister , and my Mother .

St. Jerome believes , that he , who brought this news to our Saviour , was carried on by malice and evil Faith , because that he would fain try if the Messias , Non autem fastidiosè de matre sua s●●●sse existima●●●●s est , cui in passione positus maximae sollicitudinis tribuit affectum . D. Hilar. Canon . 12. in fine who treated of no other thing before the Scribes and Pharisees , but of the Will of God his Father , and of the Marvails of Heaven , would not suffer himself to be carried away with the unruly affections of Blood and Flesh ; thereby to interpret sinistrously the Purity of his Designes . 'T is therefore he answers to the intention of his Adversary ; without any regard to the Literal signification of his Words . And so makes appear that far from disowning her that was inseperably joyn'd to him in the fact of Predestination : But on the contrary , as Mary is no other than a Virgin and the Mother of God in the immovable project of Eternity : So Jesus in the plenitude of times , could not behold her otherwise than under this venerable Title , which by the Law of Nature doth oblige to all respects . He doth suppose then that she is his Natural Mother : And adds a kind of Consanguinity of Love , which ought to be found in all sorts of Faithful , who , by the accomplishment of the Caelestial wills shall deserve to engender again Jesus Christ in their Hearts ; In propria venit , &c. Joan. 1. v. 12. wherein not only the Women , as St. Chrysostome says , but also the men may be the Mothers of God .

What a Pleasure it is to hear St. John explain the sacred Subordination of that double Alliance of men with God , both in the Mystery of his Incarnation , and in the Mystery of his second Nativity . Our Saviour , says he , is come unto the World , as if it were unto his own , and his own did not receive him : To them nevertheless , Potestas est potentia stabilita per adventum Spiritus , unde patet quod non est in aliquo potestas , in quo non fuerit prius potentia naturalis quia est in hominis voluntate ut possit fieri potestas si non ponit obicem gratiae . Hugo Card. in c. 1. Joan. that had receiv'd him , he gave power to be made the Children of God . That power , says Hugo the Cardinal , is a stable Power determin'd by Grace , and fortified by the Holy-Ghost . A Power , says the same Doctor , which supposes Nature already prepar'd to give it no obstacle nor opposition ; with a great difference however , for the Natural Power , which we have to be the Children of God may be seperated from the Almighty Power . Because that is but a simple possibility far from any Act ; this follows the conditions of liberty , which , in the advantages of Grace , is near to its effect . Great God , says St. Augustine , is not your Love without measure for men ? You are not at all of the humour of the Children of the World , who are afraid to have many Brothers Co-heirs , that they alone might succeed without any Associates to the Inheritance of their Parents . You are the only Son of the Father , and yet you do not desire to remain the sole Heir of his Substance . You call , ) without any exception , to the Rights of Heaven and Eternity , ) all them , who , undervaluing the Dross of the World , shall believe in your Gospel . We must not wonder at it , for the Wealth of the Earth being divided , groweth less ; the Wealth of Heaven , contrariwise , by communication doth increase .

St. John pursuing the History of the Incarnation , adds , Quasi securitatem faciens , ait & verbum caro factum est , quid ergo miraris quiahomines ex Deo nascuntur ? attende ipsum Deum ex hominibus natum . D. Aug. to. 9. tract 2. in Joan. sub finem . And the Word is made Flesh : Remark the Coherency , Dear Reader , he comes to establish the Second Nativity of Jesus in the stable Powers of our Liberty : And to the end , says the Great St. Augustine , that this should not seem incredible to any , that a pitiful Creature should be Honoured with a Title , not imaginary , but subsistant of Divine Filiation ; he says , that God is made man ; as if he were to draw this consequence , if the Omnipotent Power of a God infinitely Adorable , contrary to the ordinary Laws , has abased it self to the union of a Nature so abject of it self , as Humane Nature is : Who will doubt but that a sinner , Anima namque habet aliquam propinquitatem ad Deum . Treophilactus in c. 1 Joan. touch'd with the Graces of Heaven , and Converted by a sublime elevation , may approach to the Throne of the Divinity , there to receive by pre-eminency the Title of a Filial Adoption .

What were you willing to teach us , O Saviour of the World , when nail'd on the wood of the Cross , Cum vidisset Jesus matrem & discipulum stantem , quem dilegebat , dixit matri suae , mulier ecce filius tuus . Joan. 19. v. 26. whereon you were rendering to men the last proofs of your Love , looking with an Amorous Eye at your Mother , you said unto her , that from thenceforth , St. John should be her Son ? Will you refuse her after your Death , what you would not take from her during your Life ? What a heart-breaking would it be to the Virgin , when , after the Death of Jesus , thinking to discourse of high affections , to comfort her poor Heart afflicted for his absence ; she should be denied ever to call him again by this worthy Name of Son , more sweet than Honey ? No , this Commandment would be a thing impossible , and Love that knows not what it is to Obey , where there is question of a Division , would never consent to the rigour of its practice .

'T is that St. John , at the foot of the Cross , was the figure of the Adoptive Children of Grace ; And to the end that the Virgin should acknowledge them for such , Love them , and Cherish them , as she who ought most to Interess her self in the common and particular good of men . Our Saviour says to her , Woman behold thy Son ; unspeakable Happiness to see , that he who had for his Lodging the Bowels of Mary , should be pleas'd to assign us for a residence her proper heart . Or else , let us say , Sicut portavimus imaginem terreni , portemus & imaginem Celestis . 1 Cor. c. 15. v. 49. that by his last Will and Testament , he was to give her an excellent proof of his Affections , by leaving his Image deposited in her : For every sinner Converted by the Grace of God is the Image of Jesus Crucified , according to the Apostle's Doctrine , follow'd with a rare thought of St. Augustine ; D. Aug. lib. de Sancta virginitate . for after he had said , that the Virgin is our Mother ; Mother by Spirit , as she is our Saviours by Nature ; he goes further , and remarks that she bears her Spiritual Children in her Bosome , not for the space of nine Months only , but as long as they are in this Life , and is not deliver'd of them untill she introduces them to Heaven .